Instead of giving to Heifer International (a Christian-based org), I give to Plan Canada (no I am not Canadian). The difference is that I'm not forcing Christian beliefs on other faiths (mostly Muslim), but I do not get a tax break, nor should anyone expect one. That's what "charity" is all about, people. And that's OK with me. At least with Plan Canada I know where my gift is going without forcing Christianity on folks who already have their OWN faith. Go to plancanada.ca/greatgifts. Big NO to Heifer.

We have donated to Heifer International for many years primarily due to the work that they conduct and the people they serve around the world. Their focus on educating the recipients of the cow, chickens, beehive and more about how to care for their animals, sustain themselves and their families from what they produce (milk, eggs, honey) and then paying forward through generosity of teaching someone else in their village and giving them an offspring to sustain their family -- and on and on -- is a charity grounded in dignity and respect. I've also had the privilege to spend a week at Heifer Ranch in Arkansas to learn beekeeping from Heifer's master beekeeper, Chuck Crimmins. This gave me an opportunity to see, first-hand, the care, dedication and belief the entire Heifer staff and organization embraces in service of others.

Every year I send this group an email asking them to stop sending me their catalog, and every year i get their catalog in the mail! I am totally against what they do with live animals, treating them like they're nothing but commodities to be bought and sold, sending them to poor people who then often turn around and sell them to get some money because they can't afford to take care of them. Dealing in the animal trade does not seem to me a worthy or realistic charitable endeavor at all, and I'm sick and tired of their ignoring my repeated requests not to bother me with appeals.